Buying Vellies in Cape Town: Locally or Online

Cape Town shoppers looking for vellies face the same question as everyone else, made slightly worse by distance: buy from somewhere you can walk into, or order and hope the size is right. Both work. Here is how to make each one work properly. Buying vellies in Cape Town means choosing between a shop you can walk into and ordering online.

What buying in person actually gets you

One thing, and it is a real thing: you can check the width. Length is a number you can measure at home. Width is a shape, and it is where most fit complaints come from. If you have a broad forefoot or a high instep, half an hour in a shop saves an exchange.

What it does not get you is more range. Most physical stockists carry a fraction of what a maker produces, and a made-to-order pair will not be sitting on a shelf regardless.

What ordering online gets you

The full range, colours included, and access to small makers who have no retail presence at all. Most South African vellie makers are workshops rather than shops, so a large part of the market is only reachable online.

Sizing without a fitting room

This is the whole problem, and it is solvable in two minutes. Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel to a wall and your weight on the foot, mark the tip of your longest toe, and measure between the wall and the mark. Do both feet, size to the larger, and if you fall between sizes take the bigger one, because leather relaxes about half a size and never comes back.

If you are unsure, send us the measurement rather than guessing. We would far rather answer an email than process a return.

Where we are, honestly

We are based in Somerset West, at 23a Quinan Rd, Westridge. It is worth being direct about what that is: an admin office, not a walk-in store. There is no showroom and no stock on shelves to try on. Everything is ordered online and shipped.

Delivery across Cape Town and the rest of South Africa is free on orders over R200, through The Courier Guy, including locker collection if that suits you better than a home delivery.

What to do if the fit is wrong

Email us. Vellies that are genuinely the wrong size are worth exchanging rather than persevering with, and a pair that is tight across the widest part of your foot will not improve with wear.

Start here

The full range is in the shop, split into men’s, ladies and unisex fits, and the veldskoen page explains the construction.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have a shop in Cape Town?

We are based in Somerset West at 23a Quinan Rd, Westridge, but it is an admin office rather than a walk-in store. There is no showroom, and all orders are placed online and shipped.

How do I get the size right ordering vellies online?

Stand on paper with your heel to a wall, mark your longest toe, and measure between the two. Size to the larger foot, and take the bigger size if you fall between.

How long does delivery take to Cape Town?

Vellies are made to order, so allow a few weeks for production plus courier time. Delivery is free on orders over R200 anywhere in South Africa.

Can I collect rather than have vellies delivered?

Yes, through The Courier Guy locker network, which is often more convenient than waiting at home for a delivery.

Is it better to buy vellies in person or online?

In person lets you check width, which is the one thing you cannot measure reliably at home. Online gives you the full range and access to small makers with no retail presence.